The ICC prosecutor and government officials are discussing justice and compensation for Ukraine

Ministers and officials from dozens of countries are gathering in the Netherlands on Tuesday for a conference on restoring justice in Ukraine, as the war sparked by Russia's invasion drags on in its third devastating year.

Among speakers will be the chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court, which has issued arrest warrants for Russian President Vladimir Putin and military officers linked to the war.

“The people of Ukraine, they want to see justice delivered,” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba said as he arrived for the conference.

As she opened the conference, Kuleba's Dutch counterpart, Hanke Bruins Slot, agreed, saying that the war has left tens of thousands dead and injured and displaced millions.

“And it's resulted in a long and well-documented list of international crimes. Over 1,00,000 and counting,” she said. “That number not only underscores the gravity of this aggression, but also the need to support Ukraine. Because if we don't, the country's justice system will eventually collapse under the weight of these atrocities.” During the conference, a register of damage caused by Russia's invasion will formally open a process that will allow people to submit claims for compensation for damages, loss or injury suffered as a result of the invasion.

The Council of Europe, whose members established the register in May last year, said in a statement that the Tuesday launch will focus on claims for damage or destruction of residential property. It said that between 3,00,000 and 6,00,000 claims are expected.

The Hague-based Register of Damage Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation against Ukraine, or RD4U, aims to allow more claims soon, including related to damage or destruction of Ukrainian critical infrastructure. The register will not pay out any claims, but is a stepping stone toward an international compensation mechanism that has not yet been established.

The Hague, known as the international city of peace and justice, is central to efforts to bring accountability and end impunity for crimes in Ukraine. It is home to the International Criminal Court and the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine, and the Dutch government has offered to host a special tribunal on the crime of aggression. While the ICC is investigating crimes in Ukraine, it does not have jurisdiction to prosecute the crime of aggression in the conflict.

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